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Finland Foreign Ministry: Elements for solution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict already exist

23 January 2015 14:42 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Rufat Ahmadzada – APA. Finland, as a member of the OSCE Minsk Group, wholeheartedly supports the efforts of the three co-chairs as well as Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, roving Ambassador for the South Caucasus, Mr Christer Michelsson told APA.

Commenting on the escalation of the tension on the Azerbaijani-Armenian contact line and the failure of the OSCE MG co-chairs to resolve the conflict, the diplomat said Finland is continuously following the process.

“Finland was co-chair of the Minsk process in 1995-96 and has since then continued as a member of the Minsk group. Finland was Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE in 2008 and was active also then. Therefore it can be stated that Finland has taken and takes an active interest in the solving of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” he stressed.

The desk officer said as the EU stated just a few days ago, both sides should respect the ceasefire, exercise restraint and intensify efforts towards peace.

“In a situation like this all confidence-building measures are important. Monitoring is a good tool and the work of the Special Representative of the Chairman-in-office is very valuable. It is of great importance that he has the possibility to fully act out his mandate and that he is not hindered in this respect. The recent incidents and security situation at the Line of Contact are of serious concern,” he added.

With regard to the negotiations took more than 20 years and the possibility of changing the OSCE MG format, the Finnish official said in our view it is more important to continue to work towards finding a lasting solution, instead of thinking of changes in mandate, format etc.

“It is very good that the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia met three times last year. The elements for a solution already exist. As the EU stated recently, the basis for a comprehensive settlement are the elements and principles outlined in the joint statements by the Presidents of Russia, the United States, and France, especially those that were discussed during the last summit in Paris. It is still up to the parties to find the political will to strike a deal. As an EU member country it is pertinent to note that the European Union has stated that is ready to support peacebuilding activities and provide assistance, when a. Also people-to-people contacts and the work of NGOs in this regard are important. One example of this is the work of the NGO “Crisis Management Initiative”, founded by President Martti Ahtisaari, in Nagorno Karabakh,” the diplomat added.